Card-displaying device



(No Model.)

II. 0. WHEELER.

CARD DISPLAYING DEVICE.

Patented Nov. 30,1897.

.-\\\\ \\\&\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Fig. 2.

I lnwnfor, Han/e, 0 712 1 r Qammnm m: mums PEYEFIS cu. PHuru-unmvwAsmNsTme, n, n.

NITED STATES HARVEY 0. WHEELER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARD-DISPLAYING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,506, dated November30, 1897. Application filed February 3, 1897. Serial No. 621,795. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY 0. WH EL R, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston (Jamaica Plain,) in the county of Suffolk and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Card-Displaying Device,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is the effecting of automatic means wherebythe individual cards of two adjacent stacks of cards can be removed oneby one from each stack to the other and the order of such removal be soarranged that every card shall have its turn at being exposed to view;The purpose of this is, first, to enable a large number ofadvertising-cards to be displayed to the public and still be containedin a small space, and, second, to exhibit mounted photographs,engravings, &c., to would -be purchasers.- This idea may be embodied inmany forms capable of accomplishing the desired results; but what Iconsider the simplest and most practical means for carrying theinvention into effect is that illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a section of the same through x m in Fig. 2. Fig.2 is afront elevation thereof with a portion broken away. Fig. 3 is asectional view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention.Fig. 4 is a detail View of another modified form of the card-engagingdevice.

The means illustrated for transferring the cards from one stack to theother consists, essentially, of an endless belt moving exterior to saidstacks and provided with a cardengaging device and means for causing thesame to engage with a card at a proper point, carry the same to the nextstack, there leave it, then pass around to the back of this latterstack, and there engage and transfer a card to the first-named stack.

Referring to the drawings, A and B indicate two stacks of cards standingin a suitable framework or case 0 c c 0 c and E is the endless beltpassing about the two pulleys D. The shaft d of one of said pulleysshould be connected with some source of power so geared down as torotate somewhat slowly. Said belt I prefer to have quite narrow andplaced at the foot of the card-stacks behind the frame-strip c, Saidpulleys are made larger in diameter than the thickness of the stacks ofcards, in order that the engaging device or catch (2 may not touch thecards except-when forced into engagement therewith by the shoulder F.Springs H serve to press the cards toward the opposite side of theircontaining-framework, one pressing one stack toward the front of thecase 0 and the other pressing the other stack toward the back. Grossbars or partitions K prevent the cards from touching the pulleys D, anda vertical partition L, provided with two or more springs Z, curved asshown, serves to keep all the cards in place except the one which isforced past said springs by the catch 6.

As will be readily understood, the belt E being slowly moved until thecatch 6 reaches the shoulder F said catch enters a perforation or slot a(see Fig. 4) in the nearest card and carries it along until the otherend of the shoulder F is reached. Here the catch leaves the card andpasses on until the shoulder F is reached at the opposite side of thecase, where a card is similarly engaged and transferred to the stackfrom which the card first mentioned was removed. Then the catch moveson, engaging a card every time the shoulders F are reached and leavingit when passed. In this way the cards are one by one passed from stackto stack until the entire number have been exposed to view.

In the construction just described the framework or case 0 is shown asopen both at front and rear, in order that advertising matter may beimprinted upon both sides of each card and so be visible to people ateach side.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated a plurality of such stacks, all shown asoperated by a single belt. In this case the belt should be a round oneinstead of flat, and the catch 6 is in the form of a button extendinglaterally in all directions from the belt. In this case the belt, whenthe button is not in contact with a shoulder F, extends in a straightline from periphery to periphery of the pulleys D. When, however, saidbutton meets a shoulder, it is deflected thereby and caused to engagewit-h a card.

Fig. 4 shows a further modification of the catch 6. Here it isrepresented as a resilient [inger pivotally held by the belt andprovided with an arm, which when struck by the shoulder F presses saidfinger into the aperture a.

Although I have spoken of the catch being designed to enter an openingin the cards, the same may be imperforate or provided with aprotecting-strip of fabric or felt and said catch madesulficientlysharp-pointed to engage directly therewith. This isindicated by a in Fig. 4.

Referring again to Fig. 3, I would call attention to the fact that inthe construction here illustrated I have substituted two small pulleysfor the single large one at each end of the case 0. In this way the beltE can be separated sufficiently wide to accommodate a large number ofcards without increasing the diameter of the pulleys, as is necessarywhen a single pulley is employed at each end.

\Vhat Iclaim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

1. In a card-displaying device, the combination of the stacks of cards,the continuously-moving belt exterior to said stacks but in closeproximity to the outermost of said cards, catches carried by said belt,and shoulders adapted for pressing said catches into engagement with theoutermost of said cards, whereby said cards are automaticallytransferred from stack to stack, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. In a card-displaying device, the combination of the case providedwith the partitions K and L, the stacks of cards located therein, thepulleys at the ends of said case, the endless belt passing about saidpulleys and in close proximity to the faces of the outermost cards insaid stacks, the catches carried by said belt, and means for pressingsaid catches into engagement with said outermost cards, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a card-displaying device, the combination of the ease, thepartitions K, the central partition L having the springs Z, the fourpulleys located at the corners of the ease, the endless belt passingabout said pulleys and moved by the same, the catches carried by saidbolt, the shoulders, F, the springs II, and the stacks of cards locatedin said case, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing i11- Vention I have hereunto setmy hand and seal this 28th day of January, in the year 1807.

HARVEY O. \VIlEEIJCI-t. It. s.']

\Vitnesses:

J. P. IIUTCHINSON, A. 13. UPHAM.

